the crime of sylvestre bonnard-第16章

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g　out　its　large…leaved　branches　towards　the　glassless　windows。

This　spectacle　was　not　devoid　of　charm；　but　I　could　not　look　at　it　without　anxiety　as　I　remembered　that　the　rich　library　of　Monsieur　Honore　de　Gabry；　in　an　adjoining　apartment；　must　have　been　exposed　for　the　same　length　of　time　to　the　same　forces　of　decay。　　Yet；　as　I　looked　at　the　young　chestnut…tree　in　the　salon；　I　could　not　but　admire　the　magnificent　vigour　of　Nature；　and　that　resistless　power　which　forces　every　germ　to　develop　into　life。　　On　the　other　hand　I　felt　saddened　to　think　that；　whatever　effort　we　scholars　may　make　to　preserve　dead　things　from　passing　away；　we　are　labouring　painfully　in　vain。　　Whatever　has　lived　becomes　the　necessary　food　of　new　existences。　　And　the　Arab　who　builds　himself　a　hut　out　of　the　marble　fragments　of　a　Palmyra　temple　is　really　more　of　a　philosopher　than　all　the　guardians　of　museums　at　London；　Munich；　or　Paris。


August　11。

All　day　long　I　have　been　classifying　MSS。。。。　　The　sun　came　in　through　the　loft　uncurtained　windows；　and；　during　my　reading；　often　very　interesting；　I　could　hear　the　languid　bumblebees　bump　heavily　against　the　windows；　and　the　flies　intoxicated　with　light　and　heat；　making　their　wings　hum　in　circles　around　my　head。　　So　loud　became　their　humming　about　three　o'clock　that　I　looked　up　from　the　document　I　was　readinga　document　containing　very　precious　materials　for　the　history　of　Melun　in　the　thirteenth　centuryto　watch　the　concentric　movements　of　those　tiny　creatures。　　〃Bestions；〃　Lafontaine　calls　them：　　he　found　this　form　of　the　word　in　the　old　popular　speech；　whence　also　the　term；　tapisserie…a…bestions；　applied　to　figured　tapestry。　　I　was　compelled　to　confess　that　the　effect　of　heat　upon　the　wings　of　a　fly　is　totally　different　from　that　it　exerts　upon　the　brain　of　a　paleographical　archivist；　for　I　found　it　very　difficult　to　think；　and　a　rather　pleasant　languor　weighing　upon　me；　from　which　I　could　rouse　myself　only　by　a　very　determined　effort。　　The　dinner…bell　then　startled　me　in　the　midst　of　my　labours；　and　I　had　barely　time　to　put　on　my　new　dress…coat；　so　as　to　make　a　respectable　appearance　before　Madame　de　Gabry。

The　repast；　generously　served；　seemed　to　prolong　itself　for　my　benefit。　　I　am　more　than　a　fair　judge　of　wine；　and　my　hostess；　who　discovered　my　knowledge　in　this　regard；　was　friendly　enough　to　open　a　certain　bottle　of　Chateau…Margaux　in　my　honour。　　With　deep　respect　I　drank　of　this　famous　and　knightly　old　wine；　which　comes　from　the　slopes　of　Bordeaux；　and　of　which　the　flavour　and　exhilarating　power　are　beyond　praise。　　The　ardour　of　it　spread　gently　through　my　veins；　and　filled　me　with　an　almost　juvenile　animation。　　Seated　beside　Madame　de　Gabry　on　the　terrace；　in　the　gloaming　which　gave　a　charming　melancholy　to　the　park；　and　lent　to　every　object　an　air　of　mystery；　I　took　pleasure　in　communicating　my　impression　of　the　scene　to　my　hostess。　　I　discoursed　with　a　vivacity　quite　remarkable　on　the　part　of　a　man　so　devoid　of　imagination　as　I　am。　　I　described　to　her　spontaneously；　without　quoting　from　an　old　texts；　the　caressing　melancholy　of　the　evening；　and　the　beauty　of　that　natal　earth　which　feeds　us；　not　only　with　bread　and　wine；　but　also　with　ideas；　sentiments；　and　beliefs；　and　which　will　at　last　take　us　all　back　to　her　maternal　breast　again；　like　so　many　tired　little　children　at　the　close　of　a　long　day。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　kind　lady；　〃you　see　these　old　towers；　those　trees；　that　sky；　is　it　not　quite　natural　that　the　personage　of　the　popular　tales　and　folk…songs　should　have　been　evoked　by　such　scenes？　Why；　over　there　is　the　very　path　which　Little　Red　Riding…hood　followed　when　she　went　to　the　woods　to　pick　nuts。　　Across　this　changeful　and　always　vapoury　sky　the　fairy　chariots　used　to　roll；　and　the　north　tower　might　have　sheltered　under　its　pointed　roof　that　same　old　spinning　woman　whose　distaff　picked　the　Sleeping　Beauty　in　the　Wood。〃

I　continued　to　muse　upon　her　pretty　fancies；　while　Monsieur　Paul　related　to　me；　as　he　puffed　a　very　strong　cigar；　the　history　of　some　suit　he　had　brought　against　the　commune　about　a　water…right。　　Madame　de　Gabry；　feeling　the　chill　night　air；　began　to　shiver　under　the　shawl　her　husband　had　wrapped　about　her；　and　left　us　to　go　to　her　room。　　I　then　decided；　instead　of　going　to　my　own；　to　return　to　the　library　and　continue　my　examination　of　the　manuscripts。　　In　spite　of　the　protests　of　Monsieur　Paul；　I　entered　what　I　may　call；　in　old…fashioned　phrase；　〃the　book…room；〃　and　started　to　work　by　the　light　of　a　lamp。

After　having　read　fifteen　pages；　evidently　written　by　some　ignorant　and　careless　scribe；　for　I　could　scarcely　discern　their　meaning；　I　plunged　my　hand　into　the　pocket　of　my　coat　to　get　my　snuff…box；　but　this　movement；　usually　so　natural　and　almost　instinctive；　this　time　cost　me　some　effort　and　even　fatigue。　　Nevertheless；　I　got　out　the　silver　box；　and　took　from　it　a　pinch　of　the　odorous　powder；　which；　somehow　or　other；　I　managed　to　spill　all　over　my　shirt…bosom　under　my　baffled　nose。　　I　am　sure　my　nose　must　have　expressed　its　disappointment；　for　it　is　a　very　expressive　nose。　　More　than　once　it　has　betrayed　my　secret　thoughts；　and　especially　upon　a　certain　occasion　at　the　public　library　of　Coutances；　where　I　discovered；　right　in　front　of　my　colleague　Brioux；　the　〃Cartulary　of　Notre…　Dame…des…Anges。〃

What　a　delight！　　My　little　eyes　remained　as　dull　and　expressionless　as　ever　behind　my　spectacles。　　But　at　the　mere　sight　of　my　thick　pug…　nose；　which　quivered　with　joy　and　pride；　Brioux　knew　that　I　had　found　something。　　He　noted　the　volume　I　was　looking　at；　observed　the　place　where　I　put　it　back；　pounced　upon　it　as　soon　as　I　turned　my　heel；　copied　it　secretly；　and　published　in　haste；　for　the　sake　of　playing　me　a　trick。　　But　his　edition　swarms　with　errors；　and　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　afterwards　criticising　some　of　the　gross　blunders　he　made。

But　to　come　back　to　the　point　at　which　I　left　off：　　I　began　to　suspect　that　I　was　getting　very　sleepy　indeed。　　I　was　looking　at　a　chart　of　which　the　interest　may　be　divined　from　the　fact　that　it　contained　mention　of　a　hutch　sold　to　Jehan　d'Estonville；　priest；　in　1312。　　But　although；　even　then；　I　could　recognise　the　importance　of　the　document；　I　did　not　give　it　that　attention　it　so　strongly　invited。　　My　eyes　would　keep　turning；　against　my　will；　towards　a　certain　corner　of　the　table　where　there　was　nothing　whatever　interesting　to　a　learned　mind。　There　was　only　a　big　German　book　there；　bound　in　pigskin；　with　brass　studs　on　the　sides；　and　very　thick　cording　upon　the　back。　　It　was　a　find　copy　of　a　compilation　which　has　little　to　recommend　it　except　the　wood　engravings　it　contains；　and　which　is　known　as　the　〃Cosmography　of　Munster。〃　　This　volume；　with　its　covers　slightly　open；　was　placed　upon　edge　with　the　back　upwards。

I　could　not　say　for　how　long　I　had　been　staring　causelessly　at　the　sixteenth…century　folio；　when　my　eyes　were　captivated　by　a　sight　so　extraordinary　that　even　a　person　as　devoid　of　imagination　as　I　could　not　but　have　been　greatly　astonished　by　it。

I　perceived；　all　of　a　sudden；　without　having　noticed　her　coming　into　the　room；　a　little　creature　seated　on　the　back　of　the　book；　with　one　knee　bent　and　one　leg　hanging　downsomewhat　in　the　attitude　of　the　amazons　of　Hyde　Park　or　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　on　horseback。　　She　was　so　small　that　her　swinging　foot　did　not　reach　the　table；　over　which　the　trail　of　her　dress　extended　in　a　serpentine　line。　　But　her　face　and　figure　were　those　of　an　adult。　　The　fulness　of　her　corsage　and　the　roundness　of　her　waist　could　leave　no　doubt　of　that；　even　for　an　old　savant　like　myself。　　I　will　venture　to　add　that　she　was　very　handsome；　with　a　proud　mien；　for　my　iconographic　studies　have　long　accustomed　me　to　recognise　at　once　the　perfection　of　a　type　and　the　character　of　a　physiognomy。　　The　countenance　of　this　lady　who　had　seated　herself　inopportunely　on　the　back　of　〃Cosmography　of　Munster〃　expressed　a　mingling　of　haughtiness　and　mischievousness。　She　had　the　air　of　a　queen；　but　a　capricious　queen；　and　I　judged；　from　the　mere　expression　of　her　eyes；　that　she　was　accustomed　to　wield　great　authority　somewhere；　in　a　very　whimsical　manner。　　Her　mouth　was　imperious　and　mocking；　and　those　blue　ey